1. Field of the Invention
The present invention concerns magnetically guided capsule endoscope, and in particular concerns a method and apparatus for displaying relevant information during the course of a magnetic guided capsule endoscope procedure.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Magnetically guided capsule endoscopy is a known medical procedure for undertaking different types of medical examinations and procedures inside of a patient. For this purpose, the patient swallows a small capsule, which proceeds through the patient's digestive system. When the capsule is located in a relevant region of the patient, the desired procedure can be implemented, such as imaging, administration of therapy, minimal surgical procedures, etc. After the procedure is completed, the capsule continues through the digestive tract of the patient and is eliminated naturally.
As the capsule proceeds through the digestive tract of the patient, it is subjected to naturally occurring physiological forces, such as due to peristalsis. Additionally, however, it is possible to directionally guide the capsule within the body of the patient by magnetic means. Several alternatives are known for such magnetic guidance. For example, the capsule itself can be provided with a permanent magnet, and a magnetic field can be created in which the examination subject is located. The magnetic field is adjustable in strength and orientation, so that the permanent magnet, or magnetic material within the capsule is then caused to move within the magnetic field.
Another known alternative is to provide the capsule itself with actively controllable magnetic coils, which can then interact with a field in which the patient is located.
Regardless of the type of magnetic guidance that is employed, it is useful for the physician who is tracking the procedure to be able to obtain certain information regarding the operation of the magnetic guidance system and/or the position of the capsule within the patient, in particular the position of the patient within the examination volume (in which the magnetic field is most uniform and accurate guidance is thus most predictable) of the apparatus that is used for magnetic guidance.
Although systems are known that allow pictorial or graphics information to be displayed that schematically show the position of the capsule within the body of the patient, such systems do not provide the physician with information concerning the relation of the current position of the capsule to the boundary of the examination volume. Moreover, most magnetic guidance systems operate by causing a peak field to be generated at a particular location within the subject, the position of this peak field being variable in order to achieve the aforementioned guidance. Current systems do not provide information to this system regarding the location of this peak field in relation to the current position of the patient.